A Man Named Severus Snape
by kelly41395
Summary: Everything starts okay, until something happens, and a decision needs to be made. Lives are lost, minds are lost, hope is lost, and it never comes back. The life of Severus Snape.
1. Chapter 1

Unusual Circumstances

September first was always a hectic day for teachers at Hogwarts. The professors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had to arrive at the school the week of the 25th in August, but most came before that. Professor Snape had arrived nearly a month early, preparing classes for what seemed the rest of the year. But this was nothing to teachers like Professor McGonagall, who-under ordinary circumstances- would hardly leave the school at all over holiday.

However, these were not ordinary circumstances. The famous Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, was starting at Hogwarts this year. Severus sneered. Of course everyone had to go about and place _extra precautions _around the castle for the boy. Severus hadn't even met the boy yet, but he was more than sure the boy would be more than thrilled to find out people had gone through so much trouble to keep him _safe _and _cozy _when he wasn't even going to follow the rules laid down for his safety. Just like his father and his gang.

Because of these unusual circumstances, the Boy Who Lived would be personally escorted to Diagon Ally and to the train station by none other than the gamekeeper, Hagrid. Then he would safely aboard the train-which had ten times more protective enchantments and spells on it this year than it had had in ten years, since the rein of the Dark Lord. Professor McGonagall and Flitwick agreed on suspicions of an attack from the Death Eaters that had managed to stay out of Azkaban. However, Dumbledore didn't seem to have the same idea. He'd told McGonagall and Flitwick that they were free add on as many precautionary protective enchantments, charms, and spells they felt were needed on both the Hogwarts Express and the castle itself, but if any of the Dark Lord's followers were planning an attack on Harry Potter, they weren't likely to do it in such a flashy way as to directly attack the train or castle itself on such an obvious day.

In the end, Severus thought, this year was perfectly ordinary, other than the fact that it was treated very unusually.

First Sight

The Great Hall quickly filled with at least a thousand students, some two-hundred-fifty students for each House table, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Severus scanned the Hall, but it was no use. The first years, of course, were still making their way across the lake with Hagrid.

"… it's all excitement this year! Students have been raving about the boy. Even last year the kids were all talking about how the next year the famous '_Boy Who Lived' _would be starting school!" Severus overheard Professor Flitwick saying to Sprout.

"Yes, yes, such an interesting year for us. I truly look forward to teaching him, if he at all takes after his parents. Lily was such an intelligent girl… And _James! _Why, he was such a wit! Came to class late nearly every day, but my oh my, was that boy a charmer…." Severus refused to listen to another word of the conversation.

The first years were entering, Professor McGonagall in the lead holding the Sorting Hat and stool. Silence filled the Hall. Severus scanned the faces of the terrified students. The usual, sons of the Dark Lord's followers, no doubt going into Slytherin. Severus immediately saw the Malfoy boy, Draco, who had noticeably already made a couple friends with Crabbe and Goyle's sons Vincent and Gregory. Yes, Severus noticed quite a few children of old friends. There was usually at least a couple every year. A girl with bushy brown hair looked like she might explode with anxiety. A tall boy with the familiar red hair, no doubt another Weasley. And there, Severus saw him. Unmistakably _him. _Harry Potter.Snape's lip curled as a thousand memories hit him like a bucket of ice cold water.

SLYTHERIN!

Professor McGonagall looked around at them and said, "Now, if I were any of you, I would take this time to make myself look as presentable as possible. Any dirt or smudges on your face, you may want to fix. If your robes have any wrinkles, smooth them out now. You may want to make a good first impression." Then she turned and walked into the Great Hall. Severus looked down and checked over every bit of himself.

"Lily?" he said quietly to the girl next to him.

"What?" she whispered back, tucking a strand of her fiery red hair behind her ear.

"How's my face? No dirt marks or anything, right?"

"You look fine," Lily smiled. Severus felt a million times more confident, not because of the confirmation that he was presentable, but because Lily had smiled at him.

Professor McGonagall was back in the Entrance Hall and was ushering each of them into the Great Hall. Severus heard Lily gasp, while his own mouth fell. The Great Hall was better than he had ever heard. The first thing he noticed was the ceiling… or the lack there of. The stars shown brightly, looking like a thousand sparkling diamonds against the black September sky. Hundreds upon hundreds of floating candles illuminated the Hall, making it bright as day. Four long tables ran up and down the Hall; everyone at the first table was wearing gold and scarlet scarves, and Severus was sure this was the Gryffindor table. At the next, everyone sported brown and blue scarves; Ravenclaw. And at the next all was yellow and black; Hufflepuff. Then there was the last table to the far right; it was all silver and green, with a large banner hanging over it with the same colors and a large hissing snake… the Slytherin House table. Severus stared longingly at this table, hoping with all his might that it was this table he would join, this House the Sorting Hat would place him in.

Professor McGonagall spoke aloud. "Avery, Dorado!" A boy with dark brown hair stepped forward and sat down on the stool. The last thing Severus saw of him before the Sorting Hat slipped over his head was a wide grin.

A tear near the bottom of the Sorting Hat opened, and Severus realized this must be its mouth. The Hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" and Professor McGonagall lifted the hat off Avery's head so he could join the Slytherin table. Applause continued from the Slytherin table up to-

"Black, Sirius!" The Slytherin table was all grins. Everyone knew the Blacks had a long history of being in Slytherin, and here they were about to accept the second youngest of the Blacks. Severus noticed one of the seventh year girls from Slytherin standing up to get a better view, and Severus was sure he recognized her to be Narcissa Black.

Sirius Black walked forward and sat on the stool, his face emotionless before the Hat slipped over his head and hid his face from view. At least two minutes had ticked by before the Sorting Hat finally opened its mouth to shout, "GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table erupted with applause as Sirius Black ran toward it with an ear-to-ear grin. Pure shock was shown on the faces of the Slytherins.

"Evans, Lily!" Severus gave her a reassuring pat on the back before she walked forward on trembling legs. As she turned around to sit on the stool, Severus saw she was staring directly at him looking as pale as he'd ever seen her before. Barely a second after the Hat reached her head did it shout, "GRYFFINDOR!"

_No!_ Severus gave out a mental shout. He must have made a noise out loud, because a couple students turned to look at him. Severus didn't bother to pay attention to any of the other's Sortings until Professor McGonagall had called out, "Snape, Severus!"

Severus walked toward the stool without even realizing what he was doing. It seemed like a dreadfully long walk. Severus sat down, and the faces of everyone in the Hall disappeared as McGonagall slipped the Hat over his head. Darkness. Then a small voice.

"Well! This is interesting! Yes… very interesting…. Lots of bravery, oh, yes, plenty of bravery! You could be great in Gryffindor. Amazing!" Severus began fidgeting with his robes.

"Gryffindor? No, I can't be in Gryffindor…!" Severus thought.

"Not Gryffindor, eh? I see lots of talent, oh yes! You could be great in Gryffindor. But not? Well, alright then. So where to _put_ you? You would do well in Ravenclaw. Lots of intelligence here."

"Slytherin! Pick Slytherin!" Severus found himself thinking. "I want to be in Slytherin!"

"Eh? What's that? Slytherin… Mmm…. Now that's a thought. Slytherin? You're sure? Okay then, SLYTHERIN!" The last word was shouted for all the Great Hall to hear. Applause came from the Slytherin table as Severus hopped off the stool and ran over. He couldn't help grinning, despite the fact he and Lily were in as opposite Houses as opposite could get. The Slytherin Prefect patted Severus on the back as he sat down, and the cheering died down. Severus found himself shaking hands with several people and introducing himself.

Someone asked him what his blood status was. Severus hesitated.

"Er, well, my mum's a witch. And my dad… I don't know. I've never met him and my mum never talks about him." This, of course, wasn't true. He knew full well that his father was a Muggle. But _they _didn't need to know that.

Severus chanced a glance at the Gryffindor table where Lily was sitting, and saw her shyly talking to an older female student. The Sorting finished with Slytherin accepting only one more student, "Zabini, Kendra!"

Another Sorting

Professor McGonagall called out each first year's name one by one. Each came forward with a look of terror upon their face, as though they were walking to the gallows. Severus couldn't help smiling to himself. Slytherin accepted students Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy, Thoedore Nott, and Pansy Parkinson, all of whom Severus politely clapped for, while leaving the applauding for the rest of the students to other teachers. And finally _his_ name was called.

"Potter, Harry!" Whispers flooded the Hall. Even the ghosts watched closely as the boy shakily walked toward the stool.

"_Potter_, did she say?"

"_The _Harry Potter?"

"Shh! Be quiet! This is it!"

The moment the boy sat down, the Hall fell into a deadly silent once more. McGonagall placed the Hat on the boy's head and waited. The seconds ticked by slowly. Students were standing up to get a better view. Teachers were leaning far over the staff table with wide eyes. And then-

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Hall broke into possibly the loudest applause any student had ever received. The Weasley twins of Gryffindor stood up and shouted, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Harry Potter walked toward the Gryffindor table with a look of relief and sickness on his face, as though he was going to puke any second. The Gryffindor Prefect shook the boy's hand as he sat down.

The Sorting went on with few people paying much attention. Severus noticed Potter cheering loudly for the youngest Weasley boy after becoming a Gryffindor. And finally the Sorting finished with Blaise Zabini becoming a Slytherin, who Severus politely clapped for.

And then Professor Dumbledore was on his feet smiling happily with his arms wide open as if to give them all a hug. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words! And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

The cheering continued as Professor Quirrell, sitting on Severus' left, turned to speak to him.

"So H-h-harry P-potter made it into G-g-gryffindor! Quite excitement! H-his p-parents were in the H-house too, of course? You knew the b-boy's p-p-parents as a ch-child, didn't you, S-snape?"

Severus glanced at Quirrell quickly before looking down at the feast that had appeared before them. Without looking at Quirrell again, Severus piled his plate with baked potatoes, rice pudding, pork chops, and peas. He then answered Quirrell, still not looking at him, and said, "Yes, I knew his parents at Hogwarts. His father was possibly the most arrogant student I ever had the high displeasure of knowing."

"And his mother?"

Severus quickly looked up from the pork chops he had been cutting so roughly the knife had made small marks on the bottom of his plate, and stared straight into Quirrell's eyes. He had been sure for just a second-or maybe he had imagined it-that Quirrell's voice had turned into a very familiar high, cold-No. He _must _have imagined it. A chill ran down Severus' spine, and he narrowed his eyes.

"I-Yes. Yes, I knew who the boy's mother was. I never spoke to her."

"Interesting."

Was he still imagining things or had he seen, for just a moment, the glint of red he had always seen in the eyes of- no, he was being ridiculous. The presence of the Potter boy was bringing back certain best-forgotten memories.

Quirrell didn't speak again until halfway through the meal.

"Having known H-harry P-p-potter's p-parents, and knowing his h-history, you m-must look forward to t-teaching him, am I r-right?"

"You seem to have a keen interest in that boy, Quirrell. Why?" Severus spat out the last word. Quirrell flinched.

"Aren't w-we all interested in the b-boy? H-he has qu-quite the h-history! With his def-defeat of the Dark-" Quirrell flinched again and didn't complete his sentence.

Severus studied Quirrell's face for a long time, then spoke in a low voice that only Quirrell would hear. "Do not attempt to trick me, Quirrell. Any secrets that you may hold will be _extracted_." He spoke the last word in such a deadly whisper Quirrell held his breath. "I am not one to try deceive, for you will not succeed." Severus shot a quick glance at Potter, to find Potter had been staring at him. As they made eye contact, the boy's hand shot straight up to his forehead… why?

And then understanding dawned. His _scar. Severus looked away quickly and his eyes trailed back to Quirrell, who looked highly amused. Yet his back was turned away from Potter, he couldn't have seen what just happened. Then what? Severus made sure he avoided looking at Potter again for the rest of the night._

_As Professor Dumbledore stood up again, the Hall fell silent once more._

"_Ahem- Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you._

"_First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well._

"_I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors._

"_Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch._

"_And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."_

_There was some scattered laughter from students, but most stayed solemn to these words. Dumbledore's spoke again in a slightly more cheerful tone._

"_And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!"_

"_Oh, no…," Severus muttered. The school song was only sung once in a great while, when the Headmaster was feeling cheerful and "in-the-mood". The song was only sung once in Severus' time at Hogwarts, in his fourth year. As the Headmaster pulled out his wand and formed the lyrics to the song with a silky golden ribbon, Severus sat thinking of all the horrific things he'd rather have to sit through than this._

"_Everyone pick their favorite tune," Dumbledore said, "and off we go!"_

_Severus shut his eyes tight and tried to drown out the sound of the school singing with his own thoughts. Despite this, he heard them loud and clear. Though he couldn't make out any of the actual words, as everyone was singing different parts of the song at different times. Finally there were only two people left singing, the Weasley twins, with a very slow funeral march. When they had finished, Professor Dumbledore clapped for them loudest of all._

"_Ah, music," he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "The magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"_

_Severus stood up quickly and swept out of the Great Hall._


	2. Chapter 2

Potions With Potter

Professor Severus Snape checked his schedule to see which class he had next_. One O'clock: Double Potions, first year Gryffindors and Slytherins. _Severus narrowed his eyes as he reread his schedule. It was hard for him to believe that this was the moment he had been waiting for for ten years. To meet Lily Evan's son, to teach him. The boy Severus had dedicated his life to.

Severus sat down at his desk and waited. The first student to enter was a Gryffindor, she had bushy brown hair and large front teeth. Severus recognized her from the night before; at the time she had been hopping up and down and seemed as though she would explode with anxiety. The girl sat down in the front of the class and opened her Potions text book to read, without saying a word to Severus.

Slowly more students came in as the bell rang. Severus grabbed his attendance sheet and began calling out names.

"Lavender Brown?"

"Here, Sir!"

"Vincent Crabbe?"

A boy somewhere grunted.

"Seamus Finnigan?"

"Right 'ere, suh!"

"Gregory Goyle?"

Another boy grunted.

"Hermione Granger?"

"Is present, Sir!"

"Neville Longbottom?"

"Here!"

"Draco Malfoy?"

"Right here, Professor."

"Theodore Nott?"

"Sir."

"Pansy Parkinson?"

"At your service!"

"Parvati Patil?"

"Here!"

Severus paused as he came to the next name. "Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new- _celebrity._" Severus looked up at Potter and got the first real good look of him he had had yet. Anger boiled inside of Severus as he took in every feature of the boy. His hair was jet-black and stood up in the back- just like his father's. He was very skinny and looked like he would do very well on a racing broom- just like his father. He even had the same round glasses as his father. But the worst part were his _eyes. _He had Lily's eyes. The same emerald green eyes his mother had, staring at him out of that _face, _through those glasses which were identical to the ones his father wore. Lily Evan's eyes looking at Severus through the face of James Potter's.

Pure rage boiled inside Severus and it was all he could do not to run forward and grab Potter around the neck. Severus continued to read the list of names off his attendance sheet before beginning. After confirming every student was present, Severus addressed the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. Severus spoke in barely more than a whisper; he felt slightly mad as he spoke, hardly even realizing what it was he was saying. All he could think about were those brilliant green eyes. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

There was a silence in the classroom at these words. Suddenly, as the face of Harry Potter flashed through his mind once more, Severus called the boy's name, and Potter was at the attention of the entire class.

"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

The girl named Hermione Granger shot her hand into the air at once, but Potter sat speechless as he glanced at the Weasley boy sitting next to him. "I don't know, sir," said Potter.

Severus' lip curled and he couldn't help being pleased at the boy's ignorance.

"Tut, tut- fame clearly isn't everything."

Severus ignored the hand of Hermione Granger.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

The Slytherin boys, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were clearly enjoying Severus picking on Potter, as they shook with laughter. Severus agreed that this was all highly amusing. He continued to ignore Granger's hand as Potter said again, "I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Potter stared directly into Severus' eyes without blinking. This only angered Severus more. "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, the Granger girl actually stood up out of her seat with her hand waving high in the air.

"I don't know," Potter said quietly, and Severus was highly pleased to find his voice cracked a bit as he spoke. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

There was laughter from the Gryffindor side of the room, and a boy turned to wink at Potter. Severus narrowed his eyes.

"Sit down," he snapped at Granger. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

Everyone suddenly began shuffling around for quills and parchment. Severus walked up to Potter's desk and said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Severus strode back to his desk and sat as the scene that just took place continued to replay in his mind.

Under the Willow Tree

Finally it was Wednesday, the day Severus had been waiting for. Double Potions with Professor Slughorn. Severus grinned. He had always loved potions, loved the idea of it. To concoct something with simple ingredients, plants that any Muggle could just grow in their own backyard, and brew it. Make it into something magical that could cure the hiccups, or put you into such a deep sleep you'll never wake up. Even a potion that could give you the appearance of another person! It was amazing what a wizard could do if he just knew how.

There were even some potions a Muggle could make if he just knew how. There were a few potions that Muggles _did _find a way to make, through many years of studying and tests, and even then it didn't work quite as well as the wizard's version. Severus had always found this astonishing, that Muggles had cracked the code to some potions without magic. Of course they didn't _call _them potions, they'd just say it's medicine. Severus was highly amused by this. Sometimes he even wondered if there were some potions that a Muggle-loving wizard thought it would be nice to give to a Muggle- what were they called? Poctors? Moctors? Oh, yeah! Doctors!- maybe a wizard decided to give a Muggle doctor the idea in his sleep. Or maybe he just apparated in front of the Muggle and told him all about how to do it, then erased all memory of ever having met a wizard, but still knew all about how to create the potion!

"Muggles are crazy," Severus said to himself as he sat up in his four-poster bed. "I don't know how they do it. How they survive. How did _Lily_ do it? Crazy…."

Severus rolled out of bed and pulled on his black robes over his head and wrapped a Slytherin scarf around his neck. He grabbed his wand off his night table and headed down to the Slytherin common room. Almost as soon as Severus reached the bottom of the steps, someone shouted to him, "Snape! There's a Mudblood out there waiting for you! She your _girlfriend_, Snape?"

"Shut it, Wilkes!"

Severus opened the common room door and sure enough, there was Lily waiting for him, holding a stack of toast and bacon on a paper napkin.

"Hi, Lily! What are you doing out here?"

"Hey, Sev. I didn't really feel like eating in the Great Hall, so I figured I'd just grab us both some breakfast and we could eat outside or something. Maybe eat by the lake." She smiled at him. Severus felt an overwhelming amount of gratitude toward her. He hadn't told her, but she must have sensed that he didn't like eating at separate tables. It wasn't really against the rules for students to eat at different House tables, but for a Slytherin to go and eat at the Gryffindor table or vice versa, well, it just wasn't _socially _acceptable.

They made their way up out of the dungeons and out through the Entrance Hall. Lily always took in a deep breath when she walked outside of the castle. Once when Severus had asked her why, she just answered, "It's the magic. It has such a scent, and it's so much stronger outside the castle. I think it must be the Forest."

They walked across the grounds towards the lake. They found a nice willow tree to sit under and laid out their breakfast on the grass. Severus, suddenly hungry, took a piece of toast and ate happily.

"Who's your favorite teacher so far, Sev? Of course we haven't had Potions yet, so maybe we can't fairly decide, but I really liked the Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall, and Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Morris."

"Ugh, you like _McGonagall? _She was terrible! She took away five points from Slytherin in like the first five minutes!"

"Why?"

"Something stupid… Avery tried to erase the memory of the hamster he was supposed to turn into a guinea pig."

"Did it work?"

"Nah, turned out he was holding his wand backwards and he ended up erasing his own memory. Professor McGonagall had to call in a prefect to personally escort him to the hospital wing because he had no idea who or where he was…."

The thought of Dorado Avery wandering about the castle with not the slightest clue who the hell he was seemed to be highly amusing to Lily as she started cracking up. Tears filled her bright green eyes and her face turned into a red that easily matched the shade of her hair.

But as abruptly as Lily started laughing, she stopped just so. Her face turned into an even deeper shade of scarlet, but there wasn't a trace of a grin on her face. Severus turned around to see what she was looking at, and saw to his immense dislike James Potter and Sirius Black making their way down toward the lake.

The two boys didn't seem to have seen Severus and Lily, as they were in an _extremely engaging_ conversation (Severus thought these words with contempt), most probably about how best to destruct their Double Potions lesson this morning. Severus turned back to Lily and said quietly, "Don't say anything to them and maybe they won't notice we're here."

Too late. Black saw them first.

"Hey, James! Look who's down here too! It's Evans and Snivellus!" The two boys grinned as they walked closer.

"Now what's this? Breakfast by the lake? And under a willow tree?" James said gleefully. "How sweet! Just three days we've been here and Snivellus has already got himself a girlfriend!"

"Aww, now this is really cute. James, you need to take some pointers from Snivelly, here. What is it, do you think, James, that charms the ladies so much?"

"Is it his greasy hair?"

"Or that ever so very_ dazzling_ smile of his?"

"Or could it be his handsome hammy-down robes?"

"You can just snuff it, Potter!" Severus shouted.

"Ooooh! Is dear old Snivellus becoming angered?" Black smirked.

"Leave us alone, Black!" Lily yelled, standing up. "Or I'll call a teacher!"

Potter and Black burst out laughing at this point. Anger boiled up inside of Severus, and before he even stopped to think about what he was doing, he leaped to his feet, pulled out his wand, and pointed it directly at Potter's chest. The boys stopped laughing immediately.

"Put that thing away, Snape," said Potter. "You might cause yourself a nosebleed,"

"Leave us alone," Lily said one last time. Potter took one last glance at Severus' wand before grabbing Black's arm and heading back towards the castle.

"Oh, I am going to make their lives _hell!" _Severus said, jabbing his wand back into his robes.

"Be careful, Sev, you could get into a lot of trouble. We've only been here a few days and you're already threatening people with wands!"

Chaotic Cauldrons

Severus felt someone bump into him from behind as he walked to Potions with Lily. Potter and Black shoved past him.

"Just ignore them," Lily whispered. Severus listened to her and walked into the dungeons classroom Potions was held in.

Severus and Lily selected a table near the front of the class and pulled out their Potions text-books. And for some very odd reason, Severus didn't think it was a coincident at all that Sirius Black and James Potter just _happened _to want to sit the very table that was right next to theirs.

Professor Slughorn walked into the classroom through the back door. He walked to the front of the class and clapped his hands for their attention. Severus' first impression was of a very large walrus flapping its fins.

"Settle down, everyone, settle down! Hello, I am Professor Slughorn and I will be your Potions Master for this year and all the years yet to come. I do hope that we will all become very good friends," he gave the class a very wide smile, and his eyes fell on Black. "Now you there, Mister Black! I have to say I was disappointed! I've taken in your parents, cousins, aunts, and uncles, all of them went to Slytherin! But not you, oh no, you went to Gryffindor! What's this, too brave to join your family in Slytherin? Just had to break the old tradition, eh?" Despite all this, Slughorn was grinning.

"Oh, yes," Black said in his most charming voice. "I felt it was time to break free from the old Black family tradition, let the world know I don't follow trends, I set them."

"Oh, ho ho! Sirius Black the trendsetter, are you?" Slughorn chuckled. Then his gaze averted over to Potter. "Now you… you, you must be a Potter? Correct? Yes, that same messy black hair your father had, I remember it! He was one of my first students, though that was a very long time ago, yes, yes, I've been teaching for a long time. Now what's your father been doing these days?"

"Same as always," Potter said smiling. "As you know, he works for the Ministry. Law enforcement or something. My father always spoke highly of you, said you were one of his favorite teachers and that you were the one who helped him get into the Ministry in the first place."

"Ah, yes, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement! And now look at him, he's the Head! I always knew Charles Potter would be able to get places."

"Not without your help, though, sir."

"Ah, now, he just needed the right boost." Slughorn continued to smile as he looked around at the rest of the class, but didn't seem to see anyone of any more interest.

"Now then! Let's say we start the year off with some excitement, eh?" Slughorn consulted his Potions text. Severus had the impression that Slughorn wasn't really reading anything at all. "Ahh yes! _The May Traverse Potion! _A love potion, what do yeh say?"

Severus chanced a glance at Lily, but she wasn't paying him any attention. "Sir, what page of our books?"

"Hm? What's that?" the professor looked around at Lily and smiled. "Yes, I'm sorry, Miss…?"

"Evans. Lily Evans."

"Miss Lily Evans. You won't be using your books, it isn't listed in there, as it's just a little advanced for your age. But that shouldn't be a problem! I'll be writing the ingredients on the board."

"Then how did you find the potion in _your _book?" Severus began. "Isn't your book the same-?"

"Now everyone look to the board!" Slughorn cut off Severus, whether it was intentional or not, he never found out.

Slughorn had his wand out and began writing in mid-air, the words appearing on the blackboard five feet away.

_THE MAY TRAVERSE POTION INSTRUCTIONS_

_Step 1: Boil water in cauldron for no more than eighteen seconds._

_Step 2: Add one cup of ice-cold pumpkin juice. Let sit for eight to nine seconds._

_Step 3: Simultaneously add both one strand of unicorn hair and two Ashwinder eggs._

_Step 4: Stir in clockwise direction seven times. Let sit for six minutes. Potion should be a faded blue color at this point._

_Step 5: Stir in clockwise direction twice, then counterclockwise thrice, then clockwise again once. DO NOT STIR CLOCKWISE TWICE THE SECOND TIME._

_Step 6: A splash of Firewhiskey needs to be added after Potion has cooled down. See Professor Slughorn for Firewhiskey._

Severus squinted to see the words. "Think we can manage?" Lily asked him. Severus grinned.

"No problem."

The May Traverse Potion proved easy enough to make. Severus and Lily each crack one Ashwinder egg and added them at exactly the same time, dropping in the unicorn hair simultaneously just as the board said. As Lily stirred the potions, Severus counted for her and made sure it was exactly seven times around. They waited for six whole minutes in complete silence, staring at the potion. Almost as soon as the time had passed, the potion turned from the orange color of the pumpkin juice into the faded blue indicated on the board.

Severus carefully stirred the potion, going from clockwise to counterclockwise to clockwise again without missing a beat. He and Lily grinned.

"Let's get the Firewhiskey together, now," Lily said. They walked over to Professor Slughorn, who was inspecting the potion of two boys Severus believed were called Peter and Remus. Their potion looked like more of a baby blue than a faded blue, Severus thought. Slughorn looked up at them.

"Ready for your whiskey?" he said smiling.

"Yes, sir," Lily answered.

"Follow me, then!" Slughorn ushered them over to his desk. He pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey from beneath his desk and poured exactly what Severus thought was equivalent to "a splash" into a teaspoon. He handed the spoon to Severus and said, "Careful now, don't spill." Severus did exactly as he was told, walking steadily over to their cauldron.

Severus looked down in the cauldron expecting the beautiful potion he and Lily had made, being the soft color of faded blue. Instead he saw a thick bubbling black concoction that smelled greatly of three-day-old milk.

"Ugh! Our potion!" Lily looked down quickly and leapt back.

"That stinks!"

"What happened? It was faded blue when we left it!"

"Are you sure you stirred it only once the second time clockwise?"

"Yes, yes, I'm positive!" Severus heard laughing behind him and turned quickly to see- you guessed it- James Potter and Sirius Black. "What did you do?" Severus demanded.

"Why so quick to jump to conclusions, Snivellus?" Black smirked.

"Oh, I am going to KILL you!" Severus leapt forward and grabbed a large handful of unicorn hairs off Black and Potter's table before they could react. He threw the handful into their cauldron and it did exactly as Severus had expected-

_BOOM!_

The potion exploded all over the table, Black, Potter and Severus. Black jumped off his stool and onto Severus, not even bothering to pull out his wand. Black and Severus punched and kicked every inch of the other person they could reach, not caring how much they got hurt in return. Every student in the classroom crowded around the two boys, cheering either, "Get him, Snape! Get him!" or "C'mon, Black! Show him a true Gryffindor!"

Slughorn tried to push through the crowd, but found it difficult. He only had a couple seconds to marvel at the fact that he could hardly push his way through a small group of eleven-year-olds before he was on top of the two boys and pulling them apart. Severus and Black shouted obscenities at each other while trying to punch and kick each other around Professor Slughorn's immense body.

"Stop! Stop! Stop it now! Now _really! _Absurd! _Protego!" _An invisible shield fixed itself in between Severus' and Black's bodies, making it impossible to make contact with each other. "That was the most disgraceful, disrespectful, low thing I have ever seen two first year students do on just the first day of class!"

"He ruined my potion, Professor!" Black yelled. "Blew it up!"

"_I _ruined _your _potion?" Severus said outraged. "I can't turn my back for two seconds before you've turned my beautiful, perfect, faded blue potion into a disgusting black bubbling- bubbling… _thing!"_ For there were no other words to describe the black potion sitting in his cauldron, Severus was forced to settle for the word "thing", which, he thought angrily, did not do the situation justice in the least.

Before Black could say anything more, Slughorn said, "I don't care who ruined who's potion, this sort of behavior will not be tolerated! Twenty points from Gryffindor and Slytherin each! And that will be the end of it." Slughorn walked back to his desk without removing the Shield Charm between them.

Black made a rude hand gesture at Severus, to which Severus responded to by mouthing an obscenity.

"Calm down, Sev," Lily said quietly. "You can't go off doing things like that all year."

"I won't just take Black and Potter's crap, Lily. I'll show them that I fight back just as hard."

"Okay, but Sev? Try not to get yourself expelled while you're at it, okay? You're the best friend I have and I can't survive at this school without you." Severus looked up at her and knew she meant every word.


End file.
